Acetylene cutting head makes little explosions, loses flame

"Ignoramus16088" wrote: (clip) After the

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Has it done this with more than one cutting tip? It could be a nick on the seating/sealing surface, either the tip or the torch. If it happens with more than one tip, it's prolly the torch.

The simple solution is to change the tip. If the tip is not sealing properly it will cause popping.

If the tip is not the problem then you have a leaking oxygen valve seat. It has to be repaired by a torch repair shop.

I love Victor torches, but their "achilles heal" is the fact that since they are a body mixed torch, if the gasses in the mixing chamber ignite, the back pressure will erode the oxygen valve seat. Once the valve seat is eroded, the popping will get worse.

Torches that have 3 tubes going to the head are "TIP mixed" torches and don't suffer this problem.

2 tubes means body mixed. Torches like Airco, Rego, Smith, Marquette and Concoa are TIP mixed. Victor, Harris, Purox, Oxweld and Meco are Body Mixed

How old is it? If it isn't relatively new, I'd take it in for a tune up, just on GP. I'm going to take two very soon, as I am now starting to do some work.

Steve

I might argue about the Harris design which incidentally seems to be an obsolete oxweld design form perhaps 50 years ago in that the mixer or injector is very near the tip and not anywhere near the handle. I consider it a hybrid design. I believe Harris made/makes eutectic and Marquette stuff.

There also is the possibility that the mixer in the torch in question is not an acetylene one. Or the tip for that matter. Often extreme tightening of the nozzle nut will suffice. usually that is the issue, if the torch in question comes apart so as to using welding heads perhaps the seating there should be checked as well.

Fran

All three of my Harris torches are 3 tubed

Gunner

"Upon Roosevelt's death in 1945, H. L. Mencken predicted in his diary that Roosevelt would be remembered as a great president, "maybe even alongside Washington and Lincoln," opining that Roosevelt "had every quality that morons esteem in their heroes.""

Thanks to all. I tried another tip. Things seem to work much better.

i

Get out one of those tip cleaners in the drawer. If you are like most of us, you have about 14 of them, all never used. Sometimes, just a little booger can get in there.

Steve